Book protector



R. P. SHARP 2,145,099

BOOK PROTECTOR Jan. 24, 1939.

Filed May 2l, 1937 INVNTOR.

Habel-JL- F! Ehen-F ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 2.4, 1939 PATENT oFFicE BOOK PROTECTOR Robert Perry Sharp, Uvalde, Tex., assig'nor to YSharp & Company, Uvalde, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application May 21, 1937, Serial No. 144,048

7 Claims.

This invention relates to book cover protectors or enclosures, and more particularly to a protector or enclosure formed from a sheet or sheets of suitable pliable and foldable material, such as cardboard.

Among the objects'of the invention is the provision of a protector which requires no pasting nor similar securing together of parts, yet the protector will remain securely in place upon the book covers.

Another object is to provide a book cover protector, wherein pockets are provided for portions of aps forming parts of the protector, these pockets retaining the flap portions in position and preventing accidental loosening of the protector.

Many book cover protectors are so complicated that it is diicult to adjust them to books. An object of this invention is to provide a simple arrangement of parts which entail but a few manipulations in order to t the protector about books.

Other objects and advantages of this invention Will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specication and in which drawing:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the flattened blank from which the protector is made, with a book, to which the blank is to be tted, in place and showing the first step of tting the blank to the book.

Figure 2 shows, in perspective, the next step in the formation of the protector.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the protector partly about the book, one end flap being folded over the cover of the book.

Figure 4 shows, in perspective, the method of pocketing certain portions of the top and bottom flaps.

Figure 5 is a perspective View showing the protector in one of its final positions about the book covers.

Figure 6 is a section substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 5, showing the positions of the flaps and tabs at the outer corners oi the book covers of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating an alternate method of pocketing certain portions of the top and bottom flaps, diering somewhat in the arrangement of parts over Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a section substantially upon the line 8-8 of Figure 7, showing the positions of the flaps and tabs at the outer corner of the book covers of Figure 7.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A may designate generally a book and the letter B the novel protector 5 or enclosure therefor.

Shown, by way of example, is the book A which includes a conventional front cover lli having an outer face ll and an inner face l2, a rear cover I3 having an outer face I4 and an inner face l5, 10 and a back IS. While the term book is employed, it should be understood that the novel protector may be employed in protecting maga- Zine covers, portrolio covers, snap shot alb-um covers and the like.

The novel protector enclosure B initially comprises one or more sheets of suitable material. In the example shown, one sheet 2li is employed and it is preferred to employ but one sheet in order to cover or protect a book. This sheet is preferably of easily foldab-le material, such as paper, cardboard, canvas, leather or the like, and is preferably rectangular, having substantially paralleling side edges 2| and 22, and substantially paralleling end edges 23 and 26, joining the side edges 2l and 22.

With the top, bottom and end edges 25 to 253 of the protector body determined in any suitable way, as by creasing or marking, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 1,`four V-shaped cuts or cut outs 29 are made, with the apex of one cut at each of the corners of the protector body and the mouths ofthe cuts 29 in the side edges 2l and 22 of the sheet 2li.

Suitable paralleling transverse slits 3l) may now be made, as in conventional practice, from the side edges 2| and 22 towards each other and spaced apart from the transverse medial line of the protector, these slits extending to the tcp and bottom edges 25 and 25 of the protector, as in ordinary practice, for accommodating the protector to the back i6 of the book. However, it is preferred that these transverse slits 3l! be spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the width of the back I 6, as illustrated in and for the same reasons as set out in my co-pending application Serial Number 142,255, led May l2, 1937 The next slits as provided, are Very important ones. These slits 3l may be termed longitudinal slits, and one extends from the apex of each cut 29 along the top or bottom edge 25 or 25, as the case may be, towards the opposite slit 3l or, in other words, towards the back-covering portion of the protector, as shown'in Figure -2. It will bei noted that each of these slits 3| is at least as long as the distance from an end edge 23 or 24 of the sheet 20 to an end edge 21 or 28 of the protector. Such a length of slit 3| is absolutely necessary and, while it may not be less, the length may be slightly more.

With the cuts 29 and slits 3U and 3| made, there are provided two flaps 32, each defined by a out 29, sheet edge 2|, slit 30, protector edge 25 and slit 3|, two similar bottom aps 33, each defined by a cut 29, sheet edge 22, slit 30, protector edge 26 and slit 3|, two similar back flaps, one being the top flap 34 defined by two slits 3|), sheet edge 2| and protector edge 25, and the other, being the bottom ap 35, defined by two slits 39, sheet edge 22 and protector edge 26, and two end flaps, one 36 defined by two cuts 29, sheet edges 2|, 22 and 23 and protector edge 2l, and the other 31 defined by two cuts 29, sheet edges 2|, 22 and 24 and protector edge 28. The end portions of the end flaps 36 and 31 may be termed tabs 38 to 4|. Specifically, tab 38 is defined by a cut 29, portions of the sheet edges 2| and 23 and the prolongation 42 of the protector edge 25, tab 39 is defined by a cut 29, portions of the sheet edges 22 and 23 and the prolongation 43 of the protector edge 26, tab 4B by a cut 29, portions of the sheet edges 2| and 24 and the prolongation 44 of the protector edge 25, and tab 4| by a cut 29, portions of the sheet edges 22 and 24 and prolongation 45 of the protector edge 2S. Each flap is adapted to be folded upon its respective edge 25 or 26, and each tab upon its respective prolongation 42 to 45 of the edges 25 and 26.

Referring again to the iiaps 32 and 33, with their slits 3|, these slits provide, in effect, tabs 45 and 48 for the flaps 32 and tabs 41 and 49 for the flaps 33, these tabs 46 to 49 extending from the corners of the protector, towards the trans- Verse medial line of the protector. y

With the novel protector as described, the back flaps 34 and 35, may be folded as shown in Figure 2 and `the protector is ready to receive the book A, laid upon it substantially as the book A is shown laid upon the sheet 20 in Figure l. First, the end flaps 3B are folded against the inner faces l2 and |5 of the book covers Il] and i3 and then their tabs 38 to 4| may be tucked in to lie between the outer faces and 4 of the bock covers ID and I3 and the body portion 53 of the protector, as may be seen in Figures 3, 4 and 6. This provides a pocket at each corner of the folded protector so that when the top and bottom flaps 32 and 33 are folded against the inner faces l2 and |5 of the book covers Ill and i3 respectively, the tabs 46 to 49 may be tricked or inserted into these pockets, as in Figure 4. This effectively secures the protector to the book without the use of adhesive or the like. Yet, by withdrawing the tabs 46 to 49 from the pockets, the protector may be easily removed from the book and, if required, flattened out.

Instead of tucking the tabs 38 to 4| as described, they may be folded to lie between the end iiaps 35 and 31 and the inner faces l2 and I of the covers I0 and I3, and thetabs 45 to 43 may be inserted into the pockets provided by the tabs 38 to 4| and the end flaps 36 and 31, as in Figures 7 and 8. This also effectively secures the protector to the book without the use of adhesive and the like yet, when desired, the tabs 46 to 49 may be withdrawn and the protector folded out flat.

In either case, pockets are provided at the four corners of the protector to receive the tabs 46 to 49. It has been discovered that slits at or adjacent the corners of the protector, to receive portions of tabs, tear very readily or cause the tabs to tear, even when tough material is used for the protector, but the pockets herein provided do not tear nor do the tabs inserted therein tear.

Since no adhesive is used, there is a freeplay of parts, due in part to the fact that the tabs 46 to 49 are loosely inserted into the pockets and, therefore, there is no gripping relation between the walls of the pockets and the talbs, but there is a free play of parts, which is often important since, in opening and closing a book protected by a1 covering, there must be some allowance for p ay.

The extra thickness of material at the corners, as shown in Figures 6 or 8, protect the corners of the book materially.

Various changes may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a book cover protector, a body portion having flaps extending from its top, bottom and ends, the end flaps terminating at one end in top tabs and at the opposite end in bottom tabs, said tabs extending in the same direction as the top and bottom iiaps, said protector having cut outs extending between said top iiaps and said top tabs and between said bottom iiaps and said bottom tabs, said tabs being adapted to be turned towards each other and disposed in contact with the covers protected by said protector, whereby said tabs and portions of said end flaps provide pockets at the corners of said protector, each of said top and bottom flaps having a longitudinally extending slit extending, from the junctures of each top and bottom flap with said end ilaps, towards each other, the slitted portions of said top and bottom flaps being adapted to extend into said pockets.

2. In a book cover protector, a body portion having flaps extending from its top, bottom and ends, the end flaps terminating at one end in top tabs and at the opposite end in bottom tabs, said tabs extending in the same direction as the top and bottom flaps, said protector having cut outs extending between said top flaps and said top tabs and between said bottom flaps and said bottom tabs, said tabs being adapted to be turned towards each other and disposed in contact with the covers protected by said protector, whereby said tabs and portions of said end flaps provide pockets at the corners of said protector, each of said top and bottom flaps having a longitudinally extending slit extending, from the junctures of each top and bottom flap with said end iiaps, towards each other, the length of said slit being substantially as great as the width of each end flap and said slits extending along the longitudinal edges of said protector.

3. In a book cover protector, a body portion having top iiaps, bottom flaps and end flaps, said end flaps terminating in tabs extending longitudinally of said end flaps, a pair of said top flaps and a. pair of said bottom flaps having tabs extending longitudinally of said pairs of flaps from the outer ends thereof, tabs on said end flaps adjacent tabs on said top and bottom flaps being separated by substantially Vshaped cut outs, said first named tabs being adapted to be folded upon said end flaps and said end flaps and rst named tabs being adapted to be folded over to substantially parallel said body portion, said top and bottom flaps being adapted to be folded over to substantially parallel said body portion, with each of said last named tabs lying between an end flap and one of said iirst named tabs.

4. In combination with a book, including covers, a book cover protector including a body prtion having top flaps, bottom flaps and end flaps, said end flaps terminating in tabs extending longitudinally of said end iiaps, a pair of said top iiaps and a pair of said bottom flaps having tabs extending longitudinally of said pairs of iiaps from the outer ends thereof, said first named tabs being folded upon said end iiaps and said end flaps and rst named tabs being folded over the faces of book covers at the free ends of said covers, said top and bottom flaps being folded over other portions of the faces of said book covers at the tops and bottoms of said covers, with each of said last named tabs lying between an end flap and one of said rst named tabs and in contact with at least one of them.

5. In combination with a book having covers, a book cover protector including a body portion having top flaps, bottom flaps and end aps, said end aps terminating in tabs extending longitudinally of said end flaps, a pair of said top iiaps and a pair of said bottom flaps having tabs extending longitudinally of said pairs of ilaps from the outer ends thereof, said rst named tabs being folded upon said end ap-s and said end aps and rst named tabs kbeing folded over the faces of said book covers at the free ends of said covers, said top and bottom iiaps being folded over other portions of the faces of said book covers at the tops and bottoms of said covers, with each of said last named tabs lying between an end ilap and one of said first named tabs and in contact with one of said end aps.

6. In combination with a book having covers, a book cover protector including a body portion having top flaps, bottom aps and end flaps, said end flaps terminating in tabs extending longitudinally of said end flaps, a pair of said top iiaps and a pair of said bottom flaps having tabs extending longitudinally of said pairs of flaps from the outer ends thereof, said tabs of said top and bottom flaps being separated from said body portion by slits, said rst named tabs being folded upon said end aps and said end flaps and first named tabs being folded over the faces of said book covers at the free ends of said covers, said 'top and bottom iiaps being folded over other portions of the faces of said book covers at the tops and bottoms of said covers, with each of said last named tabs lying between an end flap and one of said rst named tabs, and in free sliding contact with them.

'7. In a book vcover protector, a body portion having fiaps extending from its top, bottom and ends, the end flaps terminating at one end in top tabs and at the opposite end in bottom tabs, said protector having V-shaped cut outs disposed be-l tween said top flaps and top tabs and between said bottom flaps and bottom tabs, said protector being provided with slits extending from the apices of said V-shaped cut outs towards each other along the junctures of said top and bottom flaps and said body portion, whereby a portion of each of said topi and bottom flaps constitutes a slitted portion,said tabs being adapted to be turned towards each other and disposed in contact with the covers protected by said protector, whereby said tabs and portions of said end aps pro-vide pockets at the corners of said protector, said slitted portion being adapted to extend into said pockets.

ROBERT PERRY SHARP. 

